Medicaid

The Sherlock Plan is the name of Rhode Island’s MIG program. It allows qualified working people with disabilities to earn more income without the risk of losing vital health care coverage. To inform consumers about the program, they have provided a plan overview, fact sheets in Spanish and English, and more information on their "Rhodes to Independence" website. Samples of these documents and a link to the site are available.

An expert explores patterns in services and spending under long-term care programs and examines the rise in HCBS, the existence of waivers from federal and state coverage requirements, and the changing populations who use long-term care services. He concludes with a discussion on the need to reduce the fragmentation and lack of coordination in LTC services by removing the divide between Medicare and Medicaid programs. Listen to the recorded webinar and find Mr. Ng’s published paper.

Turning the many acronyms that make up the landscape of MIG programs into something youth with disabilities and their families can understand and utilize is essential in effecting successful transitions from school to employment. Utah created the attached presentation for a workshop designed to break down these acronyms into meaningful opportunities. This playful approach is something that other MIG grantees could find useful.

Knowledge is key to making work incentive programs successful. With this in mind, the state of Washington created training curricula for those completing WIPA or the state sponsored Ben Plan Academy. The attached presentations outline, in detail, state specific Medicaid work incentives, and include links to additional resources. This training material could be helpful to other states looking for an effective training approach, or sample training materials.

The Center for Health Care Strategies works with states, health plans and federal policymakers to spearhead innovative approaches for integrating Medicare and Medicaid services. They have developed an online toolkit which includes policy-related materials, program design, financing, performance measurement and consumer engagement using hands-on tools to help guide state efforts, and sample documents from states that have successfully implemented integrated approaches. A TA brief is attached.

Guidance on the implementation of Section 2001 of the Affordable Care Act: Medicaid Coverage for the Lowest Income Populations is provided. This legislation establishes a new eligibility group and the option for states to begin providing medical assistance to eligible individuals as of April 1, 2010. To implement the 1902(k)(2) option to cover this group, states must submit an amendment to their State Medicaid plans.

The fragmentation of care for dually eligible beneficiaries is an ongoing concern. This brief discusses potential methods of reducing this fragmentation and improving nursing facility care for this population. Recommendations involve concentrating responsibility and accountability for prescription drug use, providing financial incentives for nursing facilities to reduce avoidable hospitalizations, and shifting responsibility for long-term nursing facility care from Medicaid to Medicare.

Explore how Medicaid policies have been used in some states to expand the range and availability of services. Third in a series, this brief explains why these policies lead to so much variation in current state Medicaid long-term care programs. It also draws lessons from innovative states to suggest reforms in national Medicaid policies that would make home and community based services accessible to more program participants.

People with disabilities having to choose between meaningful work and income, and access to health insurance and needed services, is a problem being addressed by an increasing number of states through the Medicaid Buy-In program. The state of Alabama created the policy paper attached below, outlining the policy objectives and proposed design of their program. It could be a useful resource for other states proposing a MIG program of their own.

Does providing Medicaid long-term supports and services influence dually eligible Medicaid recipients’ use of Medicare? Third in a series, this report is intended to provide background information on the interplay of Medicare and Medicaid resources using data from one state (Maryland) as an example for analysts who are examining similar issues at state and federal levels.